The Clay Travis and Buck Sexton Show — Sunday Hang

Episode: October 19, 2025

Episode Overview

In this "Sunday Hang" episode, Clay Travis and Buck Sexton bring their signature blend of humor, candor, and political commentary to the latest trends and flashpoints in American culture. The co-hosts riff on everything from the nostalgia of 1990s cinema to the ongoing battles in the pop-cultural arena, specifically the impact of advertising, "woke" marketing, and the pushback against progressive overreach. Using current news like American Eagle’s successful Sydney Sweeney ad campaign as a jumping-off point, they analyze the culture war’s commercial frontlines and reflect on broader political and media trends. With tennis talk, gym stories, and memorable listener messages interlaced, the show keeps things lively while focusing on the intersection of culture, capitalism, and controversy.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. 1990s Movie Nostalgia and Critique

(00:51 - 04:40)

• Buck admits, with comedic chagrin, to watching The English Patient for the first time, only to announce:

  “That movie sucks. I mean, that movie is trash. You know, won like, nine Academy Awards. Back when the Academy Awards meant something.” (00:51, Buck Sexton)

• Clay reminisces about taking a date to see the film as a high schooler:

  “It was like, the worst… I went on a high school date to the English Patient. Like, the worst.” (01:20, Clay Travis)

• They joke about the impossibility of choosing a sad, heavy film like Schindler’s List as a make-out movie, referencing the famous Seinfeld scene.

2. Jussie Smollett Documentary as Comic Relief

(03:01 - 04:40)

• Buck praises the documentary on the Smollett case for its unintentional absurdity:

  “I couldn’t stop laughing. They take you through the first hour...this is the dumbest thing. This is the most absurd thing we’ve ever seen.” (03:30, Buck Sexton)

• Clay & Buck recall Buck’s early skepticism about Smollett’s claims, highlighting media gullibility during “lib-dominated” Twitter’s heyday.

3. Tennis, Sports Performance, and Internet Armchair Critics

(04:58 - 12:28)

• Listener “Glenn from Ohio” prompts a discussion on the US Open and Buck’s tennis serve, leading Buck to predict Sinner will outshine Alcaraz and break the elusive 100 mph mark on his serve.
• Internet Contrarians:
  Both hosts mock how, on the Internet, average people present themselves as experts and are quick to diminish real achievements:

  “Almost no one can do that [bench 225 lbs]…Yet on the internet it seems to be made up by only guys who ridicule any.” (07:50, Clay Travis)

• They laugh at how even celebrities (“Margot Robbie is mid”) and top athletes are subject to casual dismissal online.
• Buck observes:

  “There’s a lack of objectivity that comes out...My daughter plays D1 tennis for UCLA and she can serve that hard…She could probably go on the pro tour. Like, is this a dunk?” (09:31, Buck Sexton)

4. The Evolution of Athleticism in Sports

(11:41 - 12:28)

• Growing professionalism and discipline in modern athletes—contrasted with the “everyman” look of past golf and tennis pros.
• Clay:

  “There aren’t really very many of those guys in golf...You don’t see guys with a 30 pound gut...who are world class golfers right now.” (11:41, Clay Travis)

5. The Culture Wars, “Woke” Advertising, and Commercial Pushback

(14:27 - 39:23)

• American Eagle & Sydney Sweeney Campaign:
  Clay details how the company’s use of “a pretty girl in jeans” led to skyrocketing sales (+32% in one day), despite media backlash over “good genes” puns being unfairly connected to eugenics.
• Buck questions:

  “What’s the next company...that plans to just do an old school, all Americana good feeling ad?” (17:26, Buck Sexton)

• Both hosts ridicule the trend of “woke” ad agencies:

  “They wanted to tell us that fat androgynous model is going to sell lingerie. Guess what? America’s not crazy.” (16:57, Clay Travis)

• The pair highlight Bud Light’s and Cracker Barrel’s experiences as proof of mainstream America’s distaste for progressive virtue-signaling in ads.
• Advertising Chokehold:
  • Deep dive into how ad agencies enforce cultural progressivism by leveraging brand access, pushing businesses to deploy “androgynous” or “unusual” spokespeople instead of classic appeals.
  • Both discuss the economic power of consumers pushing back, as seen in the Sydney Sweeney/American Eagle case.
  • Clay:

    “They [ad agencies] are the bottleneck that is putting all this ridiculousness—I would argue a lot of it is filth—out into the larger cultural arena.” (19:27, Clay Travis)

• Sponsor Loyalty & Conservative Businesses:
  Both stress the importance, and challenges, of advertisers supporting conservative-leaning shows and recognize the deliberate campaigns by left-wing groups to deplatform dissenting voices.
  • Buck:

    “They make every sponsor on this and other conservative programs out there…make a decision to stand with you, all of you and your values, because there are a lot of companies out there that we would make a ton of money for...and they’re like, ‘I’m sorry, have you heard what Clay Travis says about trans guys playing on women’s field hockey?’” (21:34, Buck Sexton)

• The Power of Culture:
  Both argue that culture—more than policy or economics—shapes society’s direction.
  • Clay:

    “Culture, culture, culture. The older I get the in all facets, your company’s culture is how you win…” (19:27, Clay Travis)

6. The Business of Media and Deplatforming Conservative Voices

(30:27 - 39:23)

• Clay describes how left-leaning groups pressure companies to avoid advertising on “controversial” conservative media, resulting in a lack of mainstream sponsors (not a single car or restaurant advertiser) despite massive audiences.
• Media Business Realities:
  • Buck outlines the subsidization of left-leaning media by major corporate advertising, which in turn supports “unfunny” or unsuccessful progressive shows.
• Discussion returns repeatedly to the Sydney Sweeney campaign’s success as proof that classic, “apolitical” sex-appeal advertising simply works better than forced-cultural messages.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

On 1990s Cinema:

• “That movie sucks. I mean, that movie is trash.”
  — Buck Sexton on The English Patient (00:51)

On Internet Experts:

• “It is funny for things that, you know, 95% of people can’t do...if I posted a video of me doing two or three reps...some guy would be like, ‘oh, that’s pathetic.’”
  — Clay Travis (07:50)

On “Woke” Advertising:

• “They wanted to tell us that fat androgynous model is going to sell lingerie. Guess what? America’s not crazy.”
  — Clay Travis (16:57)

On the Power of Culture:

• “Culture is how you win. I’m sorry, Culture, culture, culture. The older I get...your company’s culture is how you win...You have to win culture.”
  — Clay Travis (19:27)

On Sponsor Loyalty:

• “They make every sponsor on this and other conservative programs out there, they make a decision to stand with you...because there are a lot of companies out there that we would make a ton of money for...and they’re like, ‘I’m sorry, have you heard what Clay Travis says about trans guys playing on women’s field hockey?’”
  — Buck Sexton (21:34)

On Sex Appeal in Advertising:

• “Pretty girls sell products. Sexy products sell. Victoria’s Secret...make lingerie sexy again. Turns out putting unattractive models...doesn’t make anyone want to buy more panties and bras.”
  — Clay Travis (38:20)

Important Timestamps

• 00:51 – 04:40
  90s movies (The English Patient, Schindler’s List) and pop-culture send-up
• 03:01 – 04:40
  Jussie Smollett Netflix doc and media skepticism
• 04:58 – 12:28
  Sports, tennis serve challenge, internet “experts” and ridicule
• 14:27 – 19:27
  Sydney Sweeney ad campaign, pop-culture as culture war, American Eagle stock surge
• 19:27 – 22:52
  Dissecting woke marketing agencies and the cultural bottleneck
• 22:52 – 30:27
  Pressure on advertisers, sponsor loyalty, liberal organizing to deplatform conservatives
• 30:27 – 39:23
  Advertising in conservative media, media business models, American Eagle's win as a culture war bellwether

Tone and Style

True to their brand, Clay and Buck blend dry wit, exasperated social commentary, and relaxed sports banter with sharp critiques of their cultural and professional adversaries. The discussion is fast-paced, peppered with anecdotes, and delivered in the style of a smart but irreverent conversation—a mix of nostalgia, polemic, fraternity, and a pointed defense of traditional American values and market-based common sense.